AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT for Mac - Blocks are not updating across drawings

Issue:  

When you reuse a block in new drawings in either AutoCAD for Mac or AutoCAD LT for Mac by saving a new drawing from the current drawing, or by starting a new drawing from a template that has the frequently used blocks, you find that you can't update blocks in all your other drawings when you make a change in that block in the current drawing.

Also, you notice that you can't share and update blocks, by themselves,  from another workstation running either the macOS or Windows versions of AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT.

Causes:

Your modified blocks are not updating from one drawing to another because the sharing of blocks in the cloud using the Blocks Sync Settings in the BLOCKSPALETTE isn't available for AutoCAD for Mac or AutoCAD LT for Mac.

From the Windows version of AutoCAD 2024 or AutoCAD LT 2024 is this Help topic for the BLOCKSPALETTE command

The Help topic above is shown in the Windows version.

AutoCAD for Mac and AutoCAD LT for Mac as of the 2024 edition and older do not have the BLOCKSPALETTE command that allows AutoCAD and LT to Sync Block Settings across workstations and other drawings in your own workstation.

That feature is available only in the Windows versions because the Autodesk Desktop Connector that syncs shared files is not available for the Mac.

Solution:

So, for the Mac versions of AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, you can use the Blocks Palette and the BLOCKREDEFINEMODE system variable to update your modified block in another drawing by using this procedure:

• Place the block in the first drawing so that it shows in recent blocks (if it doesn't already show).
• Switch to the drawing with the block that needs to be updated.
• Then right-click the block from recents and choose ‘Redefine block’, like this:
   

Note: With BLOCKREDEFINEMODE set to the default value of 1, that will display the above dialog box that allows you to redefine the existing block definition. That will share the changes to the block you made in the original drawing for the current drawing.

About the Author

Sr. Technical Support Specialist, Manufacturing<br><br>Bob Felton has been supporting Autodesk products for over 25 years including core AutoCAD, P&ID, Plant 3D, AutoCAD for Mac, AutoCAD Mechanical, and Vault. His background is in graphics with an Applied Sciences degree and ten years manufacturing experience drafting, as well as technical illustration, image editing, and even patent drafting.

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